Who's To Blame?
by BlackCrow23
Summary: A story of who is to blame for the death of Romeo and Juliet.


Who is to Blame?

Death for some people is hard to handle. Everyone mourns in his or her own way. In the play, _Romeo and Juliet,_ written by William Shakespeare, everyone mourns over the death of Romeo and Juliet, and everyone blames himself or herself, but really who is to blame. There are many people to blame for the death of Romeo and Juliet, but there are 3 people who are the most to blame. Firstly, Romeo is to blame for his own death because he got himself into his deathly situation. Secondly, Juliet is to blame for her own death because she killed herself. Finally, Friar Lawrence is to blame for the deaths of Romeo and Juliet because he helped them to be together for all the wrong reasons.

From the very first time Romeo met Juliet, he knew that their relationship was dangerous, but he brought death upon himself and Juliet. The first decision Romeo made that caused his death was going to the Capulet party. "With all the admired beauties of Verona: Go thither, and with unattainted eyes compare her face with some that I shall show, and I will make thee think thy swan a crow." (I,II: 87-89) Benvolio pressured Romeo into going to the Capulet party, and he decided to go. If Romeo had never decided to go to the party he never would have met Juliet, and Romeo never would have died. The second decision Romeo made that caused Juliet and his death was the decision to get married. Romeo begged Friar Lawrence to marry him to Juliet. By asking for Friar Lawrence's help, Romeo got him involved in the plan for Romeo's future with Juliet. It was Romeo's fault that the Friar got involved in the first place. It is Romeo's fault that Juliet thought she could trust the Friar to help her find a way to be with Romeo forever. Romeo is to blame for the Friar's contributions to Juliet and his own death. Another reason Romeo is to blame for his and Juliet's death is that Romeo killed Tybalt, which caused Rome to be banished from Verona. Romeo killed Tybalt because Tybalt had previously killed Romeo's best friend Mercutio. It is because Romeo killed Tybalt, that Juliet had to go to Friar Lawrence to ask for his help to find a way to be with Romeo again. That is when Friar Lawrence thought of an excellent plan, or what he thought was an excellent plan to fake Juliet's death. If Romeo had never been banished, he and Juliet could have just run away together and they never would have had to die so young. Finally, Romeo takes Juliet's death to extreme measures. Instead of being able to move on he makes the decision that if he can't live with Juliet then he shouldn't live at all. It is because of Romeo's irrational thinking that he buys a poison to kill himself. It is nobody's fault that Romeo thought of life in that way. It is only his fault that he drinks the poison not knowing that Juliet was about to wake up. It is because of Romeo's decisions and actions that he is to blame for himself and Juliet's death.

Juliet is just as much to blame for the death of herself and Romeo. Firstly, if Juliet had agreed to marry Paris before the Capulet party when Lady Capulet brought it up in conversation, then Juliet would not have found Romeo because she would have been with Paris the whole night. By not agreeing to marry Paris, Juliet left her heart open for love, and when she saw Romeo, it was love at first sight. It is partly Juliet's fault that she and Romeo fell in love with each other and it is her fault that Romeo died to be with her. Secondly, Juliet goes to Friar Lawrence to seek help, "Tell me not, Friar, that thou hearest of this, unless thou tell me how I may prevent it." (IV, I: 50-51) Juliet is asking Friar Lawrence for help on how to prevent her marriage to Paris. Friar Lawrence suggests the idea to Juliet to fake her death. Juliet did not care that it may be a dangerous plan as long as it got her out of marrying Paris. Juliet jumped at the idea of faking her death, without thought as to what would happen if something went wrong. This is where Juliet makes a big mistake as she drinks the poison that sends her to her death for the first time. Juliet did not think of what would happen if Romeo were to hear of her death and not have any explanation as to what happened. Juliet is to blame for Romeo killing himself because if he thought she was truly dead and he did not want to live without her. Finally, Juliet is blame for her own death because instead of moving on with her life and starting over, she chose not to live at all. In the end, it was no one else's decision but her own to end her life. Juliet is to blame for killing herself along with influencing the death of Romeo.

The person that is most blame for the death of Romeo and Juliet is Friar Lawrence. First of all, Friar Lawrence agreed to marry Romeo and Juliet, not because they were in love, but because he thought it would bring peace between the two families. "For this alliance may so happy prove to turn your households' rancour to pure love." (II, III: 91-92) It is because the Friar agreed to marry Romeo and Juliet, to end the family feud that he is to blame for their death. If the Friar had not agreed, Juliet and Romeo probably would never have gotten married to each other. If they had never had gotten married, then Juliet would never have had to fake her death to be with Romeo. They would have just run away. Secondly, Friar Lawrence gave Juliet the vial to fake her death. Juliet takes the vial without even thinking of the consequences it could have on the people in her life. All she could think about was not having to marry Paris and being with Romeo forever. Friar Lawrence gives Juliet the vial thinking that Romeo will get the letter he sends explaining the plan and that Romeo will be there at the time that Juliet wakes. What the Friar did not know though is that there is a plague in the city which delayed delivery of the letter. The Friar does not know that Romeo did not get the letter. The Friar sent Romeo and Juliet to their death beds because there was a lack of communication. The Friar is most at fault for the deaths of Romeo and Juliet.

In the play, _Romeo and Juliet,_ by William Shakespeare, there are many people to blame for the death of Romeo and Juliet, but there are three specific people that are most to blame. Romeo and Juliet are both to blame for their own deaths because they took their own lives. Friar Lawrence is most to blame because it was he who came up with the plot that lead to their death. Everyone feels badly about the death of Romeo and Juliet and they blamed themselves because the family feud had in the end caused the death of two family members. Death will be very sad for these families as the will never see their loved ones again.


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